John (Jack) Ritchey – Selected as Grand Marshal at Emlenton Summer Festival Parade
John (Jack) Ritchey being escorted with family members
in the 2022 Emlenton Summer Festvial Parade.
The 42nd Annual Emlenton Summer Festival kicked off another year on Friday, July 8th. The beautiful three day weekend weather helped provide for another successful event.
On Saturday, July 9th the Emlenton Fireman’s parade saluted one of its hometown legegnds, Jack Ritchey.
Jack Ritchey was born in Emlenton, PA on April 28, 1930. He is the son of Claude and Kathryn Ritchey.
He attended Emlenton High School and then served in the U.S. Army for 3 years during the Korean Conflict.
He married Rose Marie Koch in 1959.
Jack retired from Industrial Colloids in Emlenton after 63 years. He also worked part-time for Sportspal Canoe Factory making Leeboards and rudders for their sailboats.
He is a master handyman and can fix anything.
Jack serves as President of the Board of Directors of the Crawford Memorial Cemetery of Emlenton. For a number of years, he has and continues to do landscaping at the cemetery. He enjoys watching the Pittsburgh Pirates, Steelers, and Penguins.
His father Claude Ritchey, played for the Pittsburgh Pirates in the early 1900s alongside Honus Wagner. He enjoys spending time with his children, Kathy (Tim) Kriebel, Karen Levy, Kelly Ritchey, his grandchildren John (Jenna) Kaufman, Karly Kaufman, Maria Levy, and his great-grandchildren Beau and Quinn Kaufman and Willor Lena Day.
He is a very kind and humble man, always helping other people. He never has a bad word to say about anybody and always sees the good in everyone. To this day, Jack still sleeps in the bedroom he was born in!